While we may not have any fortune tellers or psychics at Red212, we have a good idea on where marketing is going this year.

Measurement dominates:
Data analytics tools are ever-growing and provide deeper insight into target markets. Brands are expected to spend 73% more on analytics in the next 3 years. It improves effectiveness by measuring results and allowing marketers to understand what works best, and thus maximizing Return on Investment.

Relationship marketing drives content:Great content won’t go far without a community that wants to read it. By focusing on the relationship first, marketers can better understand consumer needs and wants, and then provide content that fulfills them.

Increase in transparency:Trust is key in relationship building. Consumers are becoming more and more demanding of authenticity. The Internet has empowered consumers to be choosier than ever, no longer limited to what is physically in front of them in the store. They want to know a brand’s values match up with their own, and now more than ever, they have access to that information through a quick Internet search.

Brand ambassadors become more wide-spread:95% of Millennials say their friends are their most trusted source of product information. Brand ambassadors add this human element to a company or product, making it seemingly more accessible and therefore, more trustworthy.

Ad blockers:As more people adopt ad blockers onto their computers and phones, we will see a decrease in interruptive marketing (traditional display ads). Marketing will have to become more relevant and personalized to reach the consumer on their terms.

Mobile becomes the center of everything:According to Think with Google, 87% of people have their phones by their side day and night. 30% of all US eCommerce comes from mobile shopping. Everything is become more and more interactive, turning something as simple as ordering pizza into a digital experience.

Micro-moments:Micro-moments occur when people reflexively turn to their device to act on a need – to learn, to watch, or to buy. Wall Street Journal reported that 91% of smartphone users look up information on their device in the middle of a task, and 82% consult their phones while standing in a store trying to decide what to buy. Marketers need to connect with these consumers at that moment – delivering exactly what they’re looking for the moment they’re looking.

Location-based marketing:From text alerts when the consumer is in proximity of a store, to RFID chips at events, this is a new technology that’s only going to grow in popularity. We can’t wait to see how it evolves in 2016.

Wearable technology:Marketing will adapt to the increasing adoption rate of wearable technology such as the Apple Watch, Google Glass, and Fitbit. It’s time marketers take advantage. For example, here in Cincinnati, the company Strap is using “Human Data Intelligence” to power email marketing campaigns. As the consumer hits certain goals such as number of steps or active minutes, they are sent reward coupons that correspond.

Account-Based marketing:The new “it girl” of Business to Business Marketing. Gone are the days of a single decision-maker in a company. While account-based marketing has been around for a while, it has been picking up speed lately. ABM makes it easier to reach the collective decision makers without multiplying the effort.